Hi to Jim and All,
I am answering this post as a general statement and I truly do not mean to
criticize any one person. Jim has brought up some very good concerns that
I am sure are current to beekeeping all across America. I thank him for
his intuitiveness and concerns.
On Fri, 18 Nov 2005 23:51:13 [log in to unmask] wrote:
"I and my...are concerned about buying Queens for next April splits."
Queens this spring, 2006, are in short supply; I strongly suggest that you
make your bookings ASAP. Some states have inspection and permit
requirements to import packages and queens; it’s always best to purchase
stock from permitted sources. I suggest that you purchase some breeder
queens from safe sources and start your own operations; collectively with
some other folks you can purchase the best breeders available and have
queens not only for your own use, but for sale as well.
“He told me the hive was 'hot' all summer. Several other beekeepers …same
shipment had … 'hot' hives this year.”
Same shipment, hot bees; don’t assume anything, confirm your suspicions
one way or the other, send a 40 to 60 bee sample in ethanol from
each “hot” hive to your State Apiarist and another sample to Mona
Chambers, Carl Hayden Bee Research Center, 2000 E. Allen Road, Tucson, AZ
85719. RE: http://gears.tucson.ars.ag.gov/morphometrics.html, the link is
current. Further details are given in the May 2005 issue of the American
Bee Journal, including information on the spread of AHB to December 2004.
“At the November PA State Beekeepers' meeting there was a lot of concern
about queens coming from states…considered lost to the Africanized Honey
Bee.”
IMHO there should be more than just concern, the dissemination of AHB
across North America (USA and Canada) can be slowed by prudent beekeeping
practices and purchase of reliable queen stocks from breeders in areas
outside boundary limits of quarantine and/or within your State Apiarist’s
permitted sources. To purposely circumvent regulations and prudent
practices is simply asking for trouble. Once the AHB cat is out of the bag
that has been imported and distributed over a broad area by many
beekeepers it cannot be put back in. If you have AHB in a yard I strongly
suspect that all your hives will either require requeening or they will be
destroyed. Those folks who do not report their suspicions are not only
fooling themselves but are also screwing up beekeeping for EVERYONE.
“We are not only concerned about our own safety but also about our ability
to have bees….in suburban areas. There is a movement in some of our local
townships to ban beekeeping…”
Now is the time to demonstrate that you and other members of your
organization are responsible beekeepers. There is much in the archives
about cities and townships wanting to ban beekeeping due to the
probability of AHB migrating into an area and successful methods of
keeping beekeeping active and legal in a town or city. The direct
importation of queens and or packages from areas containing or are even
suspected of containing AHB should never be considered. There is no
argument in my mind than can be made for such actions unless a controlled
II breeding program is ongoing. Even in such cases Canada will not allow
importation, see American Bee Journal, December issue.
“I doubt that Africanized bees can overwinter here….”
IMO feral AHB honey bees may have problems surviving overwinter; however,
when colonies are managed, treated, fed syrup, fed pollen substitutes, and
wrapped for winter they would have a very good chance of overwintering in
either Allen Dick’s or Keith Malone’s back yard; think about the
microenvironment that you are providing your honeybees.
“One constant remark I have heard is how can you expect to buy Queens from
a breeder in areas 'lost' to the Africanized Honey Bee when the breeder
uses open mating and is surrounded by Africanized Honey Bees.”
I believe that such a remark is quite valid and should be taken as “good
advice”.
Sincerely,
Chuck Norton
Reidsville, NC
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